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pong
pong was founded in 2001 by the Berlin filmmakers and producers Merle Kröger and Philip Scheffner.
Both had gathered film production experience during 9 years of participation in the video collective dogfilm (Tina Ellerkamp, Jörg Heitmann, Ed van Megen, Merle Kröger, Philip Scheffner). From 1991 to 2000 dogfilm produced numerous short films, two theme nights (ZDF/ ARTE), two festure length documentaries (ZDF/ Das Kleine Fernsehspiel) as well as essays and video art for ARTE, 3Sat, Kanal 4, a.o.
pong, a multimedia platform, is not restricted to the medium of film. It also features music compositions (Scheffner), crime novels and scripts (Kröger), as well as exhibitions.
A focus for both the founders has always been the concept and implementation of transnational projects, getting to know cultural traditions and methods beyond the borders of Germany and Europe. Starting with an exchange between artists from Berlin and Beirut (1994), the creation of a network of film- and video makers from eight countries entitled “Hungry Minds Think Alike?” (1998), it lead us to the interdisciplinary project “Inport Export – Cultural Transfer between India and Germany, Austria” (2003-2005). Since 1996 we temporarily have been living and working in Mumbai/ India.
From 2001 on, pong has produced artistic films and videos supported by different cultural institutions such as Volksbühne Berlin, Francke Foundation Halle, Federal Cultural Foundation of Germany, Cultural Capital Funds Berlin.
The feature length documentary “The Halfmoon Files” by Philip Scheffner, premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival 2007/ Foum of Young Cinema. The further distribution was successfully granted by film festivals around the world, as well as in cinemas and as part of the DVD edition of the Goethe Institute. The film received several awards.
Produced in affiliation with ZDF/ ARTE, the documentary „Peace Mission“ had it’s internatinal premiere at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival/ Real to Reel. From there, it started it’s tour through mayn international festivals, and is being distributed by First Hand Films World Sales.
The new documentary by Philip Scheffner, „Day of the Sparrow” has been produced in affiliation with ZDF/ ARTE as well as six national funding agencies. It will have it’s national premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival 2010/ Forum of Young Cinema.
Both had gathered film production experience during 9 years of participation in the video collective dogfilm (Tina Ellerkamp, Jörg Heitmann, Ed van Megen, Merle Kröger, Philip Scheffner). From 1991 to 2000 dogfilm produced numerous short films, two theme nights (ZDF/ ARTE), two festure length documentaries (ZDF/ Das Kleine Fernsehspiel) as well as essays and video art for ARTE, 3Sat, Kanal 4, a.o.
pong, a multimedia platform, is not restricted to the medium of film. It also features music compositions (Scheffner), crime novels and scripts (Kröger), as well as exhibitions.
A focus for both the founders has always been the concept and implementation of transnational projects, getting to know cultural traditions and methods beyond the borders of Germany and Europe. Starting with an exchange between artists from Berlin and Beirut (1994), the creation of a network of film- and video makers from eight countries entitled “Hungry Minds Think Alike?” (1998), it lead us to the interdisciplinary project “Inport Export – Cultural Transfer between India and Germany, Austria” (2003-2005). Since 1996 we temporarily have been living and working in Mumbai/ India.
From 2001 on, pong has produced artistic films and videos supported by different cultural institutions such as Volksbühne Berlin, Francke Foundation Halle, Federal Cultural Foundation of Germany, Cultural Capital Funds Berlin.
The feature length documentary “The Halfmoon Files” by Philip Scheffner, premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival 2007/ Foum of Young Cinema. The further distribution was successfully granted by film festivals around the world, as well as in cinemas and as part of the DVD edition of the Goethe Institute. The film received several awards.
Produced in affiliation with ZDF/ ARTE, the documentary „Peace Mission“ had it’s internatinal premiere at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival/ Real to Reel. From there, it started it’s tour through mayn international festivals, and is being distributed by First Hand Films World Sales.
The new documentary by Philip Scheffner, „Day of the Sparrow” has been produced in affiliation with ZDF/ ARTE as well as six national funding agencies. It will have it’s national premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival 2010/ Forum of Young Cinema.